The symptoms are known only too well by hayfever sufferers - the runny eyes, that itch in the corner of your nose you just can't shift, a tickle at the back of your throat. And then, uh-oh...

At its worst, you spend the entire day or night rubbing your eyes so red that you look like you've been crying all the way through a binge-watch of This Is Us, you're practically sneezing your face off every minute - and eventually you just need to lay down, but then you get all congested and end up sounding like Darth Vader because you can only breathe through your mouth.

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"Additionally, combined with the fact that in the south we're into summer and entering the grass pollen season, it will be increasingly dominated by grass pollen which we know affects far more sufferers," he added.

Which is to say that up until now it's been mainly tree pollen floating around since mid-February.

The grass pollen season runs from May until mid-September, according to the Met Office, with a two-month peak throughout June and July.

Mr Madge added: "There will be a lot of variation locally with the conditions, but sufferers do need to be aware that we may get very high levels.